Kristen and Doug Oberdorf, owners of Heavenly Paws Pet Funeral Home & Crematory, take pride in the personalized service they provide for their clients' pets. The couple started their William Sports business in January 2024.Dave Kennedy/Sun Gazette
Heavenly Paws Pet Funeral Home and Crematorium is bringing closure to grieving pet owners.
Heavenly Paws, 316 Rose St., Suite 2, Williamsport, is a family-owned business run by Doug Overdorf and Kristen Overdorf. Heavenly Paws, which provides special care to all lost pets, opened in January to meet all the emotional needs of owners and families.
“The idea for Heavenly Paws began after the unfortunate experience of dealing with the pain and grief of losing our beloved cat, Tigger, in 2017.” Kristen said.
The couple wanted to provide a comforting experience for those grieving the loss of a dear friend.
“Based on our own experiences with loss and working in the human death care industry, we realized that the options available to animals after death are completely different from those offered to humans. Animal Remains is not respected, but “disposed of”. ” she continued. “But many pet parents want their animals' bodies to be treated with respect.”
“There was a connection to each pet family we served.” she added. “They share with us memories from the first day they brought their pet home to the last few days of their life and all the memories in between. I feel a bond.”
The Overdorf family has a history of smoothing the transition between the living and the missing, and both are certified in cremation disposal. Kristen is a licensed (human) funeral director and a pet funeral director certified in animal bereavement by the International Pet Cemetery and Crematorium Association. Doug also operates a certified pet crematorium.
Heavenly Paws offers a variety of options for pet owners and accepts cremation for any animal weighing up to 500 pounds. The final price for the service is calculated based on your pet's weight.
We also carry a wide selection of keepsakes for customers to remember their pets, from urns to paw prints to jewelry.
“We offer a wide range of urns, from traditional urns such as ceramic, brass and wood, to eco-friendly biodegradable urns, artistic urns, and memorial urns designed to hold part of cremated remains. We offer a variety of urns.” Kristen said. “Some of the urns we offer can be engraved with your pet's name, date of birth, date of death, or a personal message to add a personal touch.”
“In addition to urns and dignified pet cremation services.” she said, “We offer special memorial products such as paw impressions, fur cutouts, nose and paw shaped jewelry and other materials to support grief.”
Heavenly Paws does not offer pet burial services on-site, but the upcoming construction of a pet cemetery in Williamsport may change the types of services it offers. Burial on the owner's private property is also possible, but Kristen suggests: “Things to consider include legality, safety, other animals, future family plans, and climate.”
That being said, they currently offer three main cremation options, as Kristen explained.
“We offer a truly personalized cremation where your pet, and only your pet, is in the crematorium. By using our 100% Guaranteed ID Pet Tracking System, you can keep track of your pet's cremated We ensure that your remains are received in a timely manner.
“We also offer a semi-individual cremation option, where your pet is placed in a cremation chamber with other pets. However, our unique stainless steel partitions keep your pet separated from other pets. Your pet will be completely isolated.'' Your pet will never be touched and our 100% guaranteed ID pet tracking system will ensure you only receive your pet's cremated remains.
“Our third cremation option is communal cremation, which is a process where multiple pets are cremated together without being separated. jumbled remains are not returned to their owners and are scattered. Masu.”
For more information, visit HeavenlyPawsPA.com.
